The object of the course is to leave with a strategic business plan to power a company forward. The cost of the series is $159 and includes a textbook and 12 hours of individualized hands-on coaching.

"With enrollments in Cheboygan at an all time high, we want to find ways to invest in the community other than just with for-credit offerings," Michele Andrews, NCMC's director of off-campus programming, said Thursday. "This means offering non-credit workshops through our Corporate and Community Education programs and looking at how we can invest in community projects."

The series begins at 6 p.m. on Jan. 16 with an opportunity to learn what is required of a prospective entrepreneur. The program will increase the odds of success and reduce the odds of failure before starting a business. The cost is $35.

On Saturday, Jan. 26, a crash course on social media will be offered from 9 a.m. until noon in the computer lab. The do's and don'ts of social media will be covered and how it can be used to grow a business, add customers and increase profits. The workshop also will cover the initial set up of the iPad, how to add content and how to find the best apps. The cost is $25.

An overview of what iPads can and cannot do and how to use them effectively is planned for Feb. 6 from 6-9 p.m. The cost is $25.

Melanie Goodrich, known as the Extreme Couponer, will share her techniques of saving 60 percent or more on everyday purchases and provide a start-up package at an expert couponing workshop to be held Feb. 16 from 9 a.m. until noon. The cost is $30, with a 10 percent discount offered to two or more attending together.

Finally, Michigan's cottage foods law will be the subject of a workshop to be held from 6-9 p.m. on March 7. MSU Extension specialists Wendy Wieland and Jennifer Berkey will present the business and food safety aspects of preparing and selling cottage foods. The workshop costs $20.

For more information on the workshops or the new Straits Area Education Center in Cheboygan, call 597-0322 or visit www.ncmich.edu.

"NCMC wants to reinvest the growth we are seeing in Cheboygan in the form of a variety of educational opportunities that will benefit not just degree seeking individuals but all community members looking to improve a particular skill set or participate in critical thinking experiences," Andrews said. "This winter Cheboygan citizens can look for our popular Luncheon Lecture series to come to Cheboygan with some educational sessions offered as a lunch time option. Stay tuned for more to follow."